500 Things to Eat

Before It's Too Late

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $19.95

From New England to the West Coast, authors Jane and Michael Stern have assembled a truly mouthwatering guide to 500 dishes and the best cheap places to eat them in the United States. Where to begin? In New England alone, they recommend such regional specialties as clam chowder, lobster rolls, Indian pudding, johnnycakes (in Rhode Island, the law dictates that these pancakes must be made with white-cap flint corn, not sugar or flour) and whoopee pie (two pieces of chocolate cake with a creamy center). The South has many delicacies, including banana pudding.

The Midwest has Italian beef, bratwurst, and fish boils; the Southwest, chile relleno and green corn tamale; and in the West, coffee in Portland and Seattle, and sourdough bread in the Bay area. Plenty of recipes, too.

Moon Handbooks: Cleveland

Avalon, $17.95

Poor Cleveland. For years, the city has been the object of bad jokes by late-night comedians. Nowadays, though, attitudes seem to be changing.

Author Douglas Trattner goes so far as to write that Cleveland "has blossomed into a vibrant world-class city." He reminds readers that "despite its Rust Belt roots," Cleveland is a modern metropolis with attractions that appeal to a wide variety of people, with its flourishing arts scene, museums, live-music clubs, ethnic neighborhoods, and sporting events. Probably, though, the city's most distinct attraction is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the most-visited hall of fame in the world, according to the author. Housed in a pyramid-like building of glass and steel on the shores of Lake Erie, the museum displays costumes, instruments, personal items associated with famous rockers, and rock-and-roll paraphernalia. Nearby excursions also are featured, including the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio; wineries (there are more than 100); and Amish country.

The Lake District

Lonely Planet, $18.99

England's Lake District is irrevocably linked with William Wordsworth, and, to fans of the poet, it is indeed a sacred area. The famous Dove Cottage, his first home in the area, is there, as is his childhood home, Wordsworth House; his birthplace in Cockermouth; his school in Hawkshead; the family home at Rydal Mount; and his burial site, St. Oswald's Churchyard. And if that isn't enough, there also is the Wordsworth Museum & Art Gallery, which features life masks of Wordsworth and John Keats. A definite bonus is the eight-page color insert that highlights the Lake District's outdoor activities, including descriptions of hiking, boating, climbing, and cycling opportunities.

Throughout the text, there are plenty of examples of walking and hiking itineraries.

Film + Travel: North America, South America

Museyon Guides, $15.95

It's always fun to see how your city appears on the big screen. In this entertaining guide, eight writers offer their cinematic take of movie locations: San Francisco, New York, the South, Mexico City, Puerto Rico, Canada, Argentina, and Chile. Some of the sites are iconic (scenes from Steve McQueen's Bullitt, for example), while others are not as well known. Director Julie Taymor shot inside Frida Kahlo's house in Mexico City for her bio-pic Frida. And then there's that ultimate chameleon of a country, Canada, which often on film pretends to be something that it is not: Alberta filled in for Wyoming in Brokeback Mountain; Winnipeg as 1950s-era New York in Capote; and Toronto for Chicago in Chicago. A fun guide for cinemaphiles.

Rome the Second Time

Curious Traveler Press, $14.99

This book is geared to the traveler who has already seen the big sights - the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, Vatican City - and is ready to experience the less-traveled, quirkier, and definitely cheaper side of Rome; in other words, the Rome of ordinary people.

The Complete Civil War

Road Trip Guide

Countryman Press, $19.95

For this mammoth guide to Civil War sites, author Michael Weeks visited more than 400 places and drove thousands of miles. Weeks' enthusiasm for his subject in this vast undertaking shows on every page. He discusses the great battles and battlefields, from Antietam to Gettysburg, and great leaders, from Ulysses S. Grant to Robert E. Lee, plus historical markers and historic churches, cemeteries and museums. Among those are the little-known National Prisoner of War Museum at the Andersonville National Historic Site outside Atlanta and the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond. The latter contains such artifacts as Robert E. Lee's sword, Stonewall Jackson's spurs, and Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's plumed hat. Even avid Civil War history buffs are sure to learn something from Weeks' carefully written tome.

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